The historic rivals, the two most successful football clubs in British football history, will collide for the 170th time when they meet at Old Trafford on Sunday.

Ferdinand, who scored an injury-time winner for United in the fixture in 2006, is looking forward to seeing the two teams do battle once more.

“When you consider what Manchester United and Liverpool bring together in terms of history, memories and winning the Premier League and the old Football League, there can’t be any other kind of game that matches it," Ferdinand told manutd.com.

"The fixture creates so much hype and this weekend is no exception."

Manchester United have won their last nine matches in a row (Image: Reuters)

Liverpool are second in the Premier League but are winless in three (Image: Reuters)

The match will be the first time Mourinho and Klopp have managed their teams in this fixture at United's home stadium, and Ferdinand praised both managers ahead of the clash.

"Jurgen Klopp has been a breath of fresh air since coming to England," Ferdinand said. "The way he sets his teams up, from Dortmund to this Liverpool team, is exciting.

"They’re great to watch. They play with verve; they have a direct, aggressive, quick, attacking mentality and attack in numbers.

"No matter which club you support, Liverpool under Klopp are a very good team to watch and that makes them dangerous.

The match will be the first time Mourinho and Klopp have managed their teams in this fixture at Old Trafford (Image: Liverpool FC via Getty)

"They’re going to win games 3-2 or 4-3 and while I think, defensively, they have an Achilles heel, if they’re going to outscore teams then they’re going to be a big threat."

Ferdinand believes Mourinho has had the harder job of the two managers to transform United after three years of relative mediocrity.

And the former Red Devils centre-back reckons midfielder and former teammate Michael Carrick has been key to United's resurgence, as well as the rise in form of big-money summer signings Paul Pogba, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

"Michael is so crucial to the football team," Ferdinand added. "It’s obvious how good he is on the ball, but I think more important is how he is defensively. The roving eye just looking for an entertaining football match probably won’t see it, but in terms of defensive positions and shielding the back four, he’s one of the best I’ve played with. I think he’s the best around at the moment.

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"When there’s a turnover and Michael receives the ball, he doesn’t play it sideways if he doesn’t have to; he’d rather play a ball through the lines and into the attacking third. Our most dangerous players are our attacking players and they need the ball quick and early.

"When Carrick plays, he gets the ball, plays it through the lines and then our attacking players are facing the opposition’s back four, which gives us more opportunities to get shots off or create chances, and goals are scored this way.

"Another key to United’s improvement has been the form and the star quality of the summer signings. Pogba, Mkhitaryan and Ibrahimovic are world-class superstars."